Having already unveiled plans to sell food-to-go through Shell petrol stations and Alliance Boots, Waitrose is looking to consolidate its position in the convenience market with two new initiatives. The retailer is set to trial a new smaller format comprising its first stores of less than 3,000 square feet, and is also in early discussions to acquire the Eat chain of premium food-to-go outlets.

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Following the success of its pilot store in Cardiff, Starbucks has partnered with Euro Garages to open 30 drive-through coffee shops across the UK, at both service stations and as standalone sites. Starbucks' brand value, the convenience of the drive-through format, and a growing trend of eating-on-the-go among young consumers suggest that this collaboration has every chance of being a success.

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One in three UK (and one in five European) motorists are reducing their car journeys in order to slash their fuel spend. The trend, driven by the global financial crisis and high pump prices, has led to a shift in consumer behavior, and has tested the resilience of the fuel retail sector. Supermarkets, yet again, are gaining ground on their oil company competitors.

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Chevron is believed to be in negotiations with the UK's largest independent fuel retailer, Malthurst Fuels, to sell part of its Texaco branded service station network in Ireland. After reporting a loss in 2008, it is possible that Chevron, along with ExxonMobil, the only other oil major left in the country, could follow Shell and Statoil's decision to exit the Irish market altogether.

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BP has struck a deal with Texaco that will allow all BP Plus card holders to refuel at 1,061 Texaco branded sites in the UK. Similarly, Texaco's fuel card will now be accepted at all 1,200 BP branded sites. The deal represents an 11% and 12% increase in network coverage for BP and Texaco, respectively, and highlights an attempt by both companies to offer better value to their card holders.

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TOTAL and ERG are to merge their fuel retail and refining operations in Italy, to form a joint venture known as TotalERG. The deal will enable both companies to cut production costs and minimize distribution expenses, two areas that are both vital for survival in a service station market characterized by a high density of sites and low fuel throughputs.

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Supermarket giant Tesco is running a trial of its One-Stop brand at its Dudley and Cannock service stations, with plans for a full roll-out across its 440 forecourt sites upon the trial's conclusion. However, although the One-Stop format will expand Tesco's convenience offering at its fuel outlets, it may not necessarily help Tesco benefit from the growing food service opportunity.

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As part of its strategy to unite its brands across its entire European network and boost flagging sales in Italy, Carrefour plans to reformat all GS and DiperDi stores in Italy to Carrefour Market and Carrefour Express outlets, respectively. The retailer hopes that the outperformance of the convenience sector and its strong brand will help to lead Carrefour Express to success.

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Shell is to trial a number of Waitrose 'food-to-go' and convenience products at three of its sites in the UK. While this collaboration may prove to be a success for both companies, it may also serve to devalue both brands. In addition, the emergence of another oil company and supermarket partnership again raises the question about the ability of fuel retailers to compete with their own shop brand.

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Atos Origin's newly launched business fuel card, fuelGenie, will be accepted at Tesco and Morrison-branded stations, which combined represent 8% of the UK's service station network. While the card serves to highlight supermarkets' price competitiveness, it is unlikely to appeal to larger fleets that rely on major transit routes.